Question Number: 30785

Law 13 - Free Kicks 9/19/2016

Barry Stewart of Chilliwack, BC Canada asks...

I guess we have some educating to do in pre-game discussions, to clarify that a kick of some kind is required on IDFKs.

How a 'kick' ever got slimmed down to a tap or feather-light stomp is beyond me. The basic intent in those cases, is to leave the ball where it started, so the second kicker will have an undisturbed set-up for his kick. In practice, this turns an indirect kick into a direct one. Not fair!

Could the first player kneel down and head the ball, or come sliding in and bump it with his back-side? No: 'kicked and clearly moves' should be about as clear as it sounds¦ but we have to get the word out, to undo years of tap-and-wobble.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Barry I am around long enough to recall when the ball had to move it circumference to be in play. The debate then was did the ball move far enough for that to happen. When IFAB changed to kicked and moved it got watered down to sometimes a tap and a wobble. Interestingly with the 2nd player there and he touches the ball in whatever fashion most opponents accepted that tap as putting the ball in play. One just has to watch the reaction of defenders on the tap. The moment it happens they are on the move towards the ball. So for me if the opponents are satisfied that the ball is kicked and moves albeit even slightly then I am allowing play to continue. I have had countless complaints / appeals about a moving ball before the kick yet never once that a tap did not put the ball in play. Message in there methinks.

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